Have you ever wondered why dogs love car rides SO much?
Whether or not you have a dog of your own, you've definitely been driving around minding your own business only to see dogs of all sizes hanging out the window like they are on the best ride of their life.
Now, we don't recommend this, as just like a child a dog can be seriously injured without restraints in a moving vehicle. But have you ever wondered why most dogs love car rides?
If you're like us, you may have been tempted to try it for yourself - stuck your head out the window of your Subaru to see what all the fun is about. Hopefully you chose your seatbelt, because we highly doubt you would have obtained the same thrill they seem to have every single time.
We put together a few theories on the reasoning behind your dog's love for car rides
Home Away From Home
Most breeds are territorial and like to travel as a pack by instinct. When their pack consists of their humans, they automatically feel safe moving at a high pace with their family, in a familiar territory (vehicle).
It's like running together through the woods, yet still within your home. Just like at home, when a car is parked and you walk by to suddenly hear a dog barking at you through the window - you've crossed into his territory.
In many pets lives, the car is an extension of their home, that happens to have a lot more sense stimulation which changes all the time. Car rides are never boring!
Smell ADD
You know as a human how much a smell can instantly bring back a memory or completely change how you feel physically. A smell can cause pleasure or disgust. Well, a dog's sense of smell is 100,000x stronger than ours!
While we may smell one or two things going at such a fast pace in the car, the dog is picking up on everything it passes. The jogger, the bakery, the dog in the car next to us, the ocean on the Pacific Northwest....he probably doesn't have time to even register what he's smelling!
But it's fascinating and exciting to an animal who has about 3,000,000 olfactory receptors in their noses!
The Love Of Adventure
Have you ever met a dog who doesn't love a good adventure? Of course there are the exceptions to the rule - but no matter how lazy a dog may seem, rarely does he pass up something that perks his interests to explore.
Just like the sense of smell, dogs use their noses to check out the things around them in order to dig deeper into their surroundings. Some breeds come from a long line of hunters, herders, protectors, and companions on long journeys.
They like to know what's going on around them, and enjoy the process of discovering and exploring new things. Riding in a car, window open while your pup is safely inside with a constant stream of new sensations (especially in a place like Washington!) is feeding into their very core of natural purpose. It's feeding their little dog souls to be overrun with stimulation.
Getting a Reward
Dogs are very smart. We can teach them how to follow our commands, and usually reward them with a treat as they learn. Well, have you ever rewarded your pup for behaving on a long ride?
Maybe you take a break and pour them some water with a treat. Or maybe you stop for yourself and decide to get them something as well - something they wouldn't normally have around the house. Being the intelligent creatures they are, they pick up on these occasions and associate them with riding in cars.
Not a bad deal, though - having your companion along the way, watching them stick their nose out the window (safely) in excitement, and giving them a snack to top off their adventure. With all the ways they add to our lives, the least we can do is feed into their love for exploring!
With Subaru's being a very pet friendly vehicle, maybe take yours for a ride in to see us next time you come for a tune up! Click here to schedule an appointment at Suburb Service, or call (206) 705-8695 to reach our Seattle location. Come let us give your Subaru some love!